Prosecutors have charged a 20-year-old suburban St. Louis woman with murdering her 13-month-old son, CBS News is reporting.
According to the report, Shelby Dasher is charged with second-degree murder in the death of her son, Tyler, whose body was found discarded near a cemetery about a mile from his home on Tuesday, several hours after she reported him missing.
Dasher was arrested early Wednesday and was being held on a $500,000 cash bond.
St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch told CBS News that Dasher told police she repeatedly struck her son because he was crying and “wouldn't lay down, wouldn't go back to sleep.” She also admitted she disposed of his body.
Dasher had called to report her son missing on Tuesday, telling police she overslept that morning and discovered him gone from his crib when she awoke.
People walking a dog later discovered the boy’s body near a cemetery and not far from a busy road.
The medical examiner reported that the cause of Tyler Dasher’s death was multiple blunt force trauma to the head, according to ABC News. No objects seem to have been used.
Shelby Dasher lived with her mother and son, and McCulloch told ABC News that Shelby’s mother was at home all night but was not involved in the events leading up to Tyler’s death. He added that no one else was involved beside Shelby.